Coming Out of the Cocoon
by M14Mouse
Summary: Stella watches as Hawkes packs up his things one more time. Pre-Season 1


Coming Out of the Cocoon

By: M14Mouse

Summary: Stella watches as Hawkes packs up his things one more time. Pre-Season 1

Disclaimer: Don't own them.

Stella watched as Shelton packed away some fancy pen into a box. Officially, Shelton stopped working here two days ago and started working for CSI. A case came up and Hawkes was delayed in getting his stuff.

She offered to come with him because she promised free food. No guy ever turned down free food. He didn't always take her offer and it took time for him to open up.

But for awhile, Stella didn't know what to do. At first, she tried lunch…several times but he always turned it down. She always made a point of getting to know the people around her. Shelton Hawkes was so damn stubborn about it that it wasn't even funny.

He wasn't mean to her or tried to hit on her. In fact, he was very polite to her when he turned down her offer. But for three months in a row of turning down her offer, she could honestly say that he was avoiding her. Come to find out, he avoided everyone. He doesn't come out of the morgue unless he has too.

She really shouldn't complain or worry. He handled the evidence in a professional manner. He is meticulous with the bodies. For someone so young, he shouldn't be such a recluse. It was a shame.

It should have ended there. It was none of her business.

But she couldn't let it go. There was nervousness and the haunted look in his eyes when she swore that she saw it. Of course, Danny joked that she was going to mother hen him to death.

This is why she rolled her eyes.

It also leaded her to staying right in front of his desk with her arms folded.

"Dr. Hawkes," She said.

He looked up from his paperwork and blinked. His face morphed into one of confusion.

"Detective Bonasera…I don't believe I have…"

She cut him off before he could finish.

"You don't."

"Then why are you here?"

"Lunch."

There was his nervous twitch again.

"It was very kind of you to offer but I am not hungry. I have work that needs to be done."

Dear God, he sounded like Mac when he was hell-bent on something.

"When is the last time you ate?"

She watched as his eyes darted to the clock then to her.

"…In the morning?"

At least, Mac could come up with better answers. She snorted.

"Do you like hotdogs?"

"I…guess..."

"Wait here. Don't move," She said as she turned on her heels and left the room. It took her twenty minutes to grab some hotdogs, chips, and a few sodas. When she came back, she found him still working at his desk. Well…at least, he didn't move. She approached his desk and dropped the paper bag right in the middle of his paperwork.

He leaned back in his chair in surprise then looked at her.

"Eat. No work. Don't even think of looking at that paper either. You are too scrawny."

"I am grateful for what you are trying to do…"

She folded her arms across her chest and gave him a look. There was that nervous twitch again. He looked away from her and to the bag. His hand slowly approached the bag and pulled it toward him. She grinned slightly. She set her own lunch at the edge of the desk. She looked around the room for a chair. She spotted a chair in the corner and she dragged it over to his desk.

She grinned as she watched him pulled out a bag of chips. At least, he is easier to get food down his throat than Mac. She started pulling out her hotdog.

"So, Hawkes…tell me about yourself…"

She grinned at the memory. Of course, he didn't tell her much about himself at first. It took time.

Soon enough, she knew his favorite foods and books.

Of course, she wasn't only one interested in Hawkes. The others took an interest as well especially Mac…he hated the unknown.

It bothered Mac. It is like a case that was missing vital information in order to solve it. It drove him to solve it…to understand it.

Sheldon Hawkes was definitely unknown.

Mac didn't lie when he did read the kid's file.

She smiled…Mac was impressed. He graduated college at 18. Become a surgeon at 24. After a year or so as a surgeon, he quit suddenly.

A few months later, he ended up here as a medical examiner. A kid as smart as Hawkes ended up here…it seemed wasteful to him. Hell as long as he did his job and kept personal matters private, it was none of his concern.

She made the point to tell Mac that he was just like him.

"He reminds me of you a little…," She said.

"Oh?"

"He is a workaholic. Smart as a whip. I swear that he should be on Jeopardy."

"Stella…."

She threw her hands up and smiled slightly.

"It was just a suggestion, Mac."

She grinned to herself as her suggestion took hold. Soon enough, Mac dragged himself to the morgue to check out Hawkes for himself. Mac grumbled to her that he liked him and he had good taste in music.

She almost fell out of chair laughing.

Danny…she didn't need to poke him too much.

Danny decided in his head that Hawkes needed to get out and see a game. Any game…hockey, basketball…anything. Much like with her, Hawkes turned him down. Finally, Danny got Hawkes out of the morgue without hilarious consequences. She got a call from Don at 5am to come the morgue. She was about to flip out when Don explained that everyone is okay. She just has to come down.

A short time later and a Starbucks, she was treated to sight of Shelton hovering over Danny. Instantly, she noticed an ice bag and Danny with a black eye.

"_What happened?" She asked. _

_Shelton tilted his head to look at Don. Don looked liked that he was about to laugh._

"_Not a word…either of you," Danny warned. _

_Her eyes darted between the boys. Shelton just had a small smile on his face. _

"_She will just nag you until she got an answer," Shelton said. _

_"No…you two promised," Danny groaned. _

"_No…you wanted us to promise as we dragged your ass to the morgue," Don said with a grin. _

"_So, what happened?" She said in curiosity. _

_She really wanted to know because the looks that Shelton and Don giving Danny were priceless. _

"_Well…it involved a ball and a bird," Shelton said. _

She laughed at the memory. From what the guys, Danny and Don dragged Shelton to a baseball. After the game and a trip to a bar, the guys were walking back to the car. Danny was messing around, threw the ball too high and scared a bird. The noise made Danny jump and cause him to miss the ball.

Well…technically, his eye caught it.

The event cemented the guys' friendship. Slowly, Shelton came out of his shell. He smiled just a little more and that dry sense of humor started to come out. He began to asked questions about their work.

She was totally caught by surprise that Hawkes was leaving the morgue and coming to work for CSI.

Okay…she wasn't totally surprised. She might have talked to him…a little…or a lot. She knew Danny said something…

Mac was the only one that was surprised. Go figure.

Stella watched as Hawkes packed his final box from his formal office. Okay, it was his only box but still…

"Ready to go?" She asked.

"I'm ready," Hawkes said.

They turned and walked down the hallway.

They didn't look back.

End

A/N: Originally, this fic was going to be a multiple chapter fic but I abandoned it. A few weeks ago, I found it and re-edit to make it a one shot. So, here it is. Read and review if you wish.


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